Vending machine



Aug. 8, 1967 M. w. NEWBERRY VENDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 23, 1966 Aug. 8, 1967 M. w. NEWBERRY VENDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sh mr 2 Filed NOV. 23 1966 ATTORNEY g 1967 M. w. NEWBERRY VENDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Nov. 23, 1966 United States Patent 3,334,786 VENDING MACHINE Meigs W. Newberry, East Longmeadow, Mass., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Nov. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 596,488 6 Claims. (Cl. 221129) The present invention relates to vending machines and more particularly to a multiple column vending machine having a simplified electromagnetically controlled mechanism for determining the selection of a particular column from which an article is to be vended and is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 495,477, filed Oct. 13, 1965, now abandoned in the named M. W. Newberry and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

Multiple column vending machine for vending different selected flavors of bottled beverages are well known, as shown and described in United States Patent 3,118,567 to M. W. Newberry, wherein a multiple column bottle vending machine having respective vertically movable plates for actuating a respective bottle release mechanism for each column when the respective plate is vertically moved or lifted is described. As described in the aforementioned patent, a vertically movable common actuating bar or member is caused to engage a predetermined lifting plate to thereby lift the plate as the member is lifted to thereby dispense a bottle. The common member is movable by manual preselection means that must be operated by the customer before the machine is activated upon the deposit of a coin or the like to cause the common actuating member to be vertically moved to thereby predetermine which respective lifter plate will be engaged and lifted by the member to vend a bottle from a predetermined one of the multiple columns of bottles. In the particular machine disclosed by the referenced patent, the common actuating member is manually movable in a generally horizontal direction to select or predetermine which lifting plate will be engaged and lifted during the subsequent energization of the machine to cause the vertical movement of the actuating member.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved vending machine of the type described in the above-mentioned patent having improved means for selecting and vending with a post select action from a desired one of a plurality of columns of articles upon the simple actuation of an electrical switch after the deposit of the required coinage.

Another object of .the present invention is to provide a bottle vending machine of the type generally described in the above-mentioned patent with improved post-select power operated mechanisms for both selecting and vending an article from a predetermined column of a plurality of columns of stored articles.

In accordance with the invention, power operated means is provided for moving a common selected bar vertically to engage a lifter plate for operating a dispensing mechanism. During the initial vertical movement of the selector bar, power operated means is also provided to simultaneously move the selector bar in a selecting direction for predetermining which one of a plurality of lifter plates for respective ones of a plurality of storage column dispensing mechanisms will be operatively engaged and lifted by continued vertical movement of the selector bar after the initial vertical movement. Electromagnetically operated means which in the preferred form is a single solenoid is provided to stop the selecting movement of the selector bar at a position corresponding to the lifter position for the desired column to be vended. In one preferred embodiment of the inven- 3,334,786 Patented Aug. 8, 1967 tion the Selecting movement of the selector bar is generally horizontal during its initial vertical movement and sufiicient vertical lost motion is provided to enable a complete horizontal selection movement of the selector bar before engagement with a desired lifter plate by the accompanying vertical movement of the selector bar. A movable contact adapted to move horizontally with the selector bar is brought into engagement with successive stationary electrical contacts until an electrically marked or live contact is engaged, upon which a circuit is completed to energize the aforementioned electromagnetic means to stop the horizontal selecting movement of the selector bar Without interfering with the continued vertical dispensing movement of the selecting bar.

Further objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent with reference to the following specification and drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of a group of six dispensing mechanisms with which the invention may be used.

FIG.- 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line II-II of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a wiring diagram of the electrical control circuit used with the invention.

As previously mentioned, the vending machine of the invention is generally similar to that shown in Patent 3,118,567 of M. W. Newberry, and referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, is shown to include a magazine structure 10 divided by partitions such as some of those shown at 11, 12 and 13 into six compartments, each adapted to contain a vertical column of bottles of one-bottle width. While the vending machine shown in FIG. 1 has six compartments, it will be apparent that this is a matter of choice and that any desired number of compartments may be provided.

There is provided at the lower end of each compartment a bottle releasing or dispensing mechanism, which comprises two bottle supporting and releasing rods, such as shown at 14, 15 or 14a, 15a extending from front to rear and carried at the upper ends of respective levers such as shown at 16, 17 pivoted about respective pivot pins 18, 19. The releasing mechanism further comprises links 20, 21 connecting the lower ends of the levers 16, 17 to one of the vertically slidable rod operating plates such as plate 22. Similar plates 23-27 are shown for the other five column structures, respectively. The rod operating plates are vertically slidable through openings formed in the upper and lower flanges of a channel member 28 mounted along the front of the compartments, and the vertical member of which may form a part of the front wall for the compartments.

To release any one of the lowermost bottles from a column, a rod operating plate, such as plate 22, is raised. during the first short portion of such upward movement, the links move the lower ends of the levers 16, 17 slightly further apart and the rods 14, 15 move slightly toward each other. However, as the plate 22 moves upwardly beyond the position in which the links 16, 17

are horizontal, the links draw the lower ends of the levers 16, 17 toward each other and the rods 14, 15 away from each other sufiiciently to permit the lowermost bottle to drop between the rods. Upon downward movement of the rod operating plate 22, the rods 14, 15 are moved toward each other to support the next lowermost bottle.

The selector bar 30, also shown schematically in FIG. 3, is supported by, and is horizontally slidable in, two plates 31, 32 which extend and are movable vertically through other slots in the horizontal flanges of the channel member 28. The plates vertical 31, 32 are moved up and down through links 33, 34 which are connected along with the selector at their lower ends to respective levers 35, 36 fixed on a rocker shaft 38. An operating lever 39 is fixed to the shaft 38 for operating the same and is connected by a composite rod 40 to a crank pin 41 mounted on a crank 42 of a gear reduction unit 43 driven by the motor M. The gear reduction unit 43 rotates both the crank 42 with its pin 41 and the cam 44 (FIG. 3), one each dispensing operation.

A locking plate 50 is mounted for horizontal movement by means of bolts 51 carried by the channel member 28 and extending through horizontal slots 52 in the locking plate. The locking plate 50 is locked to move horizontally with the selector bar '30, while at the same time permitting the selector bar 30 to move upwardly, by means of a vertical strip 53 fastened to the locking plate 50 and extending vertically through a notch 54a in the upper flange 54 of the selector bar. The locking plate 50 is formed with six vertical slots, such as those specifically shown and referenced at 55-57, disposed to permit the selected tab such as any one of those shown at 58-63 to be raised, while the locking plate prevents upward movement of the remaining tabs 58-63.

The selector plate 64, provided with the slots 64a, is secured by bolts 64c and 64d to a bracket 65 connected to the locking plate 50 to be movable therewith as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The sliding contact arm 66 is secured to the plate 64 by means of a contact arm bracket 67. Thus, the sliding contact arm 66 and the selector plate 64 move, right and left as seen in FIG. 2, bar 30 and the locking plate 50, but they do not move vertically. The stationary contacts 104-109 are mounted on a stationary contact plate 100 of insulating material that is secured to a bracket 100a fastened to the underside of the upper flange of the stationary channel 28.

To efiect horizontal movement of the selector bar 30,- there is provided a mechanism which includes, first, a link plate 71 pivoted on a stationary structure at 72 and formed with a slot 73 through which the crank pin 41 extends. A vertical link 74 is pivoted at its lower end to the plate 71 and extends upwardly, its upper end being pivoted to a bell crank lever 75, whose other arm is connected to a horizontal link 76. The link 76 is formed with a slot 77 through which extends a forwardly bent flange 78 of the selector plate bracket 65.

The link 76 is normally biased upwardly by a tension spring 79 through a pin '80 which extends through a slot 81 in the link. The link 76 is adapted to be moved downwardly by the solenoid 83 through a vertical link 82 to which the pin 80 is attached. The link includes a portion bent at right angles to form the blade 84.

Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawings in detail, there is shown a wiring diagram of an electrical control circuit which is suitable, for example, for a bottle vending machine adapted to contain six columns of bottles and provided with six dispensing mechanisms for said six columns. The control includes individual conductors 90-95 for the six dispensing mechanisms respectively. The dispensing mechanisms comprise the vertically slidable plates 22-27 as previously described. Each of these plates is provided with a flange or tab 58-63, respectively, whereby it may be raised and lowered in a dispensing operation.

As previously described, the vending machine further includes the selector bar 30 which is provided with tabs 98-103 spaced in such manner that as the bar is moved to its left, a cooperating one of the tabs 98-103 is successively brought into registry for respective different ones of the tabs 58-63 of the plates 22-27. The movable or slidable contact 66 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 as attached by the arm 67 to the selector plate 64 which in turn is connected to'the locking plate 50 which is also movable horizontally simultaneously with the selector bar 30 is movable to the left as previously described. As the bar 30 moves through the respective positions bringing revolution for the tabs into registry for Various ones of the plates 22- 27 respectively, the contact 66 moves in sliding engagement with the stationary contacts 104-109, respectively, which are electrically connected to conductors -95. The contact 66 is in the circuit of the solenoid 83 adapted, when energized, to pull the blade 84 down into the adjacent one of the slots 64a in a plate 64, schematically shown in FIG. 3 as integral with the selector bar 30, but which is movable to the left along with the selector bar 30 as previously described in connection with FIG. 1 of the drawings.

The control of FIG. 3 is suitable for vending, in a post select manner, bottles of six difierent flavors, i.e. flavors A-F in the six respective columns. The control includes six push buttons -115, respectively, only one of which may be operated by the customer after depositing a coin to close the coin switch 116 with contact 117 and energize the series string of push button switch arms 118-123 and all of the conductors 90-95 and contacts 104-109. Should any one of the push buttons 110- be operated after deposit of a coin, and assuming the selected column of bottles to be not empty as will be further described, the push button lock solenoid 124 is energized and the series connection to the remaining push button switches is broken while at the same time the vend motor B is energized. Empty switches for each column of bottles are provided as is conventional and each switch includes a pair of switch arms such as a, 130b, 131a, 131b, 132a, 132b, 133a, 133b, 134a, 13412 and 135a, 1351;. Should any column be empty, the respective switch arm 130a-135a would be moved to the switch open position to prevent the operation of the bend motor and the push button lock solenoid 124 when the corresponding push button for the empty column is operated, while at the same time the corresponding one of the empty switch arms 13012-13512 is in the switch position to energize a corresponding one of the empty signal lights 145. The coin switch 116 is provided with a conventional holding circuit including relay and its contact 151 to provide the previously described circuit for energizing the series connected push button switch arms 118- 123. The aforementioned energization of the push button lock solenoid 124 is effective to move the push button locks 155-160 downward to lock each push button 110-115 in its then position, either operated or unoperated, which together with the series connection of the push button switches prevents the simultaneous electrical operation of more than one push button selector switch.

The closure of a selected one of the push button switch arms 118-123 also deenergizes the electrical marking of one or more of the contacts 104-109. Therefore, as the vend motor M operates to move the selecting arm 30 vertically upward and horizontally to its left as previously described, the horizontal movement of the arm 30 and the selector bar 50 continues to move the contact arm 67 and contact 60 over electrically unmarked ones of the contacts 104-109 until the first one of electrically marked ones of the contacts 104-109 is engaged by the contact 66 resulting in the immediate energization of selector solenoid 83 and the movement of the blade 84 downward into a selected one of the slots such as 64a to stop any further horizontal movement of the selecting bar '30 and locking plate 50 at the desired position for causing engagement of the corresponding one of the tabs 98-103 with the desired one of the lifter plate tabs 58-63 corresponding to the desired column of bottles to be vended. In the further operation of the machine as the selector bar 30 continues its vertical movement, the selected lifter plate is raised to dispense a bottle from the selected column. Cam switches 161, 162 are operated in a conventional manner upon operation of the vend motor M to limit the operation of the vend motor to one revolution and to deenergize the coin switch holding relay 150, the push button lock solenoid 124 and the selecting solenoid 83 at the end manner already described above of the one revolution vend cycle whereupon the selecting bar 30 and locking plate 50 is returned to its right to the normal position shown and the machine is in condition for another vend operation as will be later more fully described.

Operation Considering now the operation of the vending machine as a whole, it is assumed that it is desired to purchase a bottle of a flavor E vended from the column controlled by the lifter plate 26. After deposit of a coin, the selector push button switch 111 is operated by the customer to deenergize conductor 90 and contact 104 while electrically energizing conductors 91-94 to electrically mark contacts 105-108 as shown in FIG. 3. Thus, it will be noted that at this time only the contact 104 is not electrically marked. As previously described a circuit is completed through empty switch arm 131a to the motor M to begin operation of the vending machine. After a very short interval, the cam 44 moves the switch 162 to the opposite position to complete a circuit to the motor M and to maintain it closed for the remainder of one revolution of the cam 44; in other words, one dispensing operation. At the same time, the holding circuit for the relay coil 150 is opened by contacts 161.

The motor drives the crank pin 60 in counterclockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 1. During the initial portion of this movement, the crank pin 41 moves the plate 71 upwardly and through it the link 74, which turns the bell crank lever 75 clockwise to move the link 76 to the left. The right-hand edge of the slot 77 engages the tab 78 to drive the plate 64, and through it the contact 66, the locking plate 50 and the selector bar 30 all horizontally to the left, as seen in FIG. 1. The movable contact 66 passes over the deenergized contact 104 and engages the first one of electrically marked or live ones of the contacts 104 to 108, in this case contact 105 at which time the solenoid 83 is energized, as previously explained, to bring the blade 84 down into that slot 64a which is in registry with the blade 84 at the time, to lock the plate 64 and the associated mentioned parts against further horizontal movement to the left. At the same time, the solenoid 83 also moves the link 76 downwardly through the connecting parts to break the driving connection between the edge of slot77 and the flange 78, permitting continued movement of the link 76 under the flange 78 as the crank pin continues its rotation without continued horizontal movement of the selector bar 30.

As will be noted from FIGS. 1 and 2, there is suflicient vertical lost motion between the tabs, such as tabs 58-63 and the tabs 98-103 to permit the aforesaid horizontal movement of the selector bar 30 and locking plate 50 during an initial period of vertical movement thereof before the tabs 98-103 come up to the level of the tabs 58-63.

The rotation of the crank pin 41 also moves the link 40 upwardly to raise the selector bar 30 through the connecting parts including the lever 39, the rocker shaft 38, the links 33, 34 and the plates 31, 32. After the abovementioned vertical lost motion is taken up during the initial vertical movement of the selector bar 30, the tab 102 moves into engagement with the tab 62 of the selected dispensing mechanism, in this case, the plate 26 for flavor E. The plate 26 moves the rods 14a, 14b apart in the to release one bottle. Some provision is preferably made for receiving the lowermost bottle, to prevent release of the entire column, as is shown, for example, in the mentioned Newberry Patent 3,118,567, but which mechanism forms no part of the present invention and hence need not be here described. After the crank pin 41 passes dead center at the top, it moves the link 40 downawrdly, thereby moving the selector bar 30 downwardly, the flange 54 being adapted to engage the tab 62 to assure that the rod operating plate 26 is returned to its lowermost position. As the crank pin 41 continues its downward movement sufiiciently to engage the lower edge of the slot 73, it moves the plate 71 andthe link 74 downwardly, thereby moving the link 76 in return direction, to the right as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, to return the plate 64, the selector bar 30, locking plate 50 and associated parts to the right to their rest positions, ready for the next dispensing operation. lPrior to such movement, the cam 44 opens the switch 162 to deenergize the solenoid 83 to permit the link 76 to move upwardly and reengage the flange 78 for such return movement.

Upon completion of one revolution of the cam 45, the switch 161 opens the circuit to the motor M, thereby completingthe dispensing operation, and placing the control in condition for another vend-ing operation.

In the foregoing there has been described a novel vending machine of the multiple column storage type in which both the selection of a particular dispensing mechanism and its actuation is power operated and electrically controlled by a single solenoid. Although the selecting bar 30 has been described as movable horizontally during a first part of its vertical movement for the purpose of selecting a particular dispensing mechanism to be actuated by subsequent continued vertical movement of the selecting bar, it should be understood that other types of selecting movement of the bar 30 could be provided to cause the engagement of a particular lifter tab for a desired one of the lifter plates 22-27.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A vending machine comprising a column structure adapted to contain a plurality of side-by-side columns of articles to be vended, a plurality of respective article release mechanisms each associated with a respective column of articles, a plurality of vertically movable plates, each respective plate being connected to respective ones of said releasing mechanism for operating a respective one of said release mechanisms when moved vertically, a

vertically movable common operating member having movable selecting means adapted to selectively engage a predetermined one of said plates after an initial vertical movement of the member for moving the desired plate vertically as the member continues to move vertically, means to move said member vertically, means to move said selecting means during an initial vertical movement of said member, and solenoid operated means for stopping the movement of said selecting means in a position to thereafter engage a predetermined one of said plates during continued vertical movement of said member after the initial vertical movement thereof to thereby vend an article from a predetermined column of articles.

2. A vending machine comprising a column structure adapted to contain a plurality of side-by-side columns of articles to be vended, a plurality of respective article release mechanisms each associated with a respective column of articles, a plurality of vertically movable plates, each respective ones of said releasing mechanism for operating a respective one of said release mechanisms when moved vertically, a vertically movable common operating member having movable selecting means adapted to selectively engage a predetermined one of said plates after an initial vertical movement of the member for moving the desired plate vertically as the member continues to move vertically, an electric motor, means to energize and connect said motor to move said member vertically, means to energize and connect said motor to said selecting means during an initial vertical movement of said member, and solenoid operated means for disconnecting said motor from said selecting means to thereby stop the movement of said selecting means in a position to thereafter engage a predetermined one of said plates during continued vertical movement of said member after the initial vertical movement thereof to thereby vend an article from a predetermined column of articles.

3. A vending machine comprising a column structure adapted to contain a plurality of side-by-side columns of articles to be vended, a plurality of respective article release mechanisms each associated with a respective column of articles, a plurality of vertically movable plates, each respective plate being connected to respective ones of said releasing mechanism for operating a respective one of said release mechanisms when moved vertically, a horizontally and vertically movable common operating member having selecting means operable upon horizontal movement of said member to selectively engage a predetermined one of said plates after an initial vertical movement of the member for moving the desired plate vertically as the member continues to move vertically, means to move said member horizontally during an initial vertical movement of said member, and solenoid operated means for stopping the horizontal movement of said selecting means in a position to thereafter engage a predetermined one of said plates during the continued vertical movement of said member after the initial vertical movement thereof to thereby vend an article from a predetermined column of articles.

4. A vending machine comprising a column structure adapted to contain a plurality of side-by-side columns of articles to be vended, a plurality of respective article release mechanisms each associated with a respective column of articles, a plurality of vertically movable plates, each respective plate being connected to respective ones of said releasing mechanism for operating a respective one of said release mechanisms when moved vertically, a vertically movable common operating member having movable selecting means adapted to selectively engage a predetermined one of said plates after an initial vertical movement of the member for moving the desired plate vertically as the member continues to move vertically, means to move said member vertically, means to move said selecting means during an initial vertical movement of said member, electrical means to mark different positions of said selecting means, switch means to control said electrical means to thereby mark a predetermined position of said selecting means, and solenoid operated means in circuit with said electrical means for stopping the movement of said selecting means at an electrically marked position to thereafter engage a predetermined one of said plates during the continued vertical movement of said member after the initial vertical movement thereof to thereby vend an article from a predetermined column of articles.

5. A vending machine comprising a column structure adapted to contain a plurality of side-by-side columns of articles to be vended, a plurality of respective articles release mechanisms each associated with a respective column of articles, a plurality of vertically movable plates, each respective plate being connected to respective ones of said releasing mechanism for operating a respective one of said release mechanisms when moved vertically, a horizontally and vertically movable common operating member having selecting means operable upon horizontal movement of said member to selectively engage a predetermined one of said plates after an initial vertical movement of the member for moving the desired plate vertically as the member continues to move vertically, an electric motor, means to energize and connect said motor to move said member vertically, means to energize and connect said motor to move said member horizontally during an initial vertical movement of said member, and solenoid operated means for disconnecting said motor from said member in a manner to stop the horizontal movement of said member in a position to thereafter engage a predetermined one of said plates during continued vertical movement of said member after the initial vertical movement thereof to thereby vend an article from a predetermined column of articles.

6. A vending machine comprising a column structure adapted to contain a plurality of side-by-side columns of articles to be vended, a plurality of respective article release mechanisms each associated with a respective column of articles, a plurality of vertically movable plates, each respective plate being connected to respective ones of said releasing mechanism for operating a respective one of said release mechanisms when moved vertically, a horizontally and vertically movable common operating member having selecting means operable upon horizontal movement of said member to selectively engage a predetermined one of said plates after an initial vertical movement of the member for moving the desired plate vertically as the member continues to move vertically, means to move said member vertically, means to move said member horizontally during an initial vertical movement of said member, electrical means to mark different horizontal positions of said selecting means, switch means to control said electrical means to thereby mark a predetermined horizontal position of said selecting means, and solenoid operated means in circuit with said electrical means for stopping the movement of said selecting means at an electrically marked horizontal position to thereafter engage a predetermined one of said plates during continued vertical movement of said member after the initial vertical movement thereof to thereby vend an article from a predetermined column of articles.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTs' 3,118,567 1/1964 Newberry 221-126 3,151,772 10/1964 Payne 221 -67 3,158,290 11/1964 Hailey a a1 22l67 X 3,189,218 6/1965 Gasparinietal. 221 129X 3,209,942 10/1965 Gasparini et al 221-67 3,209,943 10/1965 Newberry 221-67 3,209,946 10/1965 Kalista 221-129X WALTER SOBIN, Primary Examiner.

Dedication 3,334,786.Meigs W. Newberry, East Longmeadow, Mass. VENDING MA- CHINE. Patent dated Aug. 8, 1967. Dedication filed Oct. 7, 1974, by the assignee, The Vendo Uompany. Hereby dedicates to the Public the entire remaining term of said patent.

[Ofiicz'al Gazette May 6, 1.975.] 

1. A VENDING MACHINE COMPRISING A COLUMN STRUCTURE ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A PLURALITY OF SIDE-BY-SIDE COLUMNS OF ARTICLES TO BE VENDED, A PLURALITY OF RESPECTIVE ARTICLE RELEASE MECHANISMS EACH ASSOCIATED WITH A RESPECTIVE COLUMN OF ARTICLES, A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY MOVABLE PLATES, EACH RESPECTIVE PLATE BEING CONNECTED TO RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID RELEASING MECHANISM FOR OPERATING A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID RELEASE MECHANISMS WHEN MOVED VERTICALLY, A VERTICALLY MOVABLE COMMON OPERATING MEMBER HAVING MOVABLE SELECTING MEANS ADAPTED TO SELECTIVELY ENGAGE A PREDETERMINED ONE OF SAID PLATES AFTER AN INITIAL VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF THE MEMBER FOR MOVING THE DESIRED PLATE VERTICALLY AS THE MEMBER CONTINUES TO MOVE VERTICALLY, MEANS TO MOVE SAID MEMBER VERTICALLY, MEANS TO MOVE SAID SELECTING MEANS DURING AN INITIAL VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBER, AND SOLENOID OPERATED MEANS FOR STOPPING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID SELECTING MEANS IN A POSITION TO THEREAFTER ENGAGE A PREDETERMINED ONE OF SAID PLATES DURING CONTINUED VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBER AFTER THE INITIAL VERTICAL MOVEMENT THEREOF TO THEREBY VEND AN ARTICLE FROM A PREDETERMINED COLUMN OF ARTICLES. 